The End is Too Near!
by LoveIchigo
Summary: The End is Near Sequel! After dying Ichigo has awoken in Rukongai as a Shinigami. How did this happen and why the hell is everyone here? And why does Ichigo have pink hair!Okay...I really suck at summary's. R R Please! Eventual IchiRuki. Mild Swearing.
1. Guess who's back!

_Disclaimer- I don't own Bleach! (although I have an Ichigo Plushie...is it okay is I own that? *hugs plushie* IT'S CUTE!!_

_Hichigo- ahem! _

_Oh sorry! Anywho, Authors Note at the bottom so without futher ado...!_

'_**Italics'**_Hichigo talking/Thoughts

_Italics_ Ichigo thoughts (and everyone elses, hopefully the difference is obvious)

**Dammit! The End is Too Near!**

_Prologue_

_And so on that day, Kurosaki Ichigo died four hours after the death of Kuchiki Rukia. Their bodies were found later that day by the 6__th__ Division. News of their untimely death hit Soul Society like a sword through the chest. Many in Serietei mourned their passing and soon the news was passed on through Rukongai, though many did not see the importance of this terrible news. _

_But, in the Districts 78 and 80 two new arrivals were about to change everything. _

_And not for the first time either._

Chapter One- What the hell?!

_78__th__ District_

Ichigo awoke to find himself alone on a dusty street. He looked around trying to find his bearings as he slowly rose off the ground. After contemplating about his surroundings Ichigos eyes widened in realisation.

'Fuck! I'm in Rukongai!'

_**No shit Sherlock. Took you long enough**__._ Hichigo snickered lightly though his words lacked there usually bite, probably from his involvement on how they even got here in the first place.

Ichigo decided to ignore his hollows comment for now as he wondered around looking for a clue of which district he was in. He could already tell it wasn't one of the lower districts as the houses (if they could even _be_ houses) were in shambles and the smell of decay was almost over-whelming.

Suddenly a large group appeared from behind the building to his left consisting mainly of badly dressed men all wielding some type of weapon. Ichigo stood before them –finally noticing Zangetsu was no longer with him. _Shit_, cursed silently as he watched the group approach, looking for a way out. There was none.

One man(clearly the leader –being the worst dressed and the largest weapon) stepped forward confidently and glared at Ichigo.

'What ya doin' in this district, _Shinigami?' _The man spat the word as if trying to rid a bad taste from his mouth, 'You ain't welcome here.'

Ichigos hopes of leaving without a fight were slowly dwindling away as the group continued to glare at him and he realised he was still wearing the shinigami uniform(1). For some reason the uniform had come with him after he died. _What the hell? First I die out of my body and then come to Rukongai _still _as a Shinigami. Why? And where the hell has Hichigo gone?!_ Ichigo had noticed the Hollows presence had left his mind and the, thinking quickly, answering the leader innocently.

'I'm not a shinigami.'

The man scoffed, 'Then I'm a captain, why are you wearing a Shinigamis uniform then?'

'I stole it off some Shinigami I saw wondering around, I needed some clothes.'

'Like some Shinigami was over-powered by a weak thing like you.' The man and his group laughed unbelieving.

Ichigo tried to control his temper, this happened to often for Ichigo to snap as quickly as he used to and he was still trying to leave the situation without a fight although this man was clearly asking for it.

A chilling voice suddenly echoed out from behind the group,'**He**_** may be weak but I certainly ain't**__.' _

Hichigo appeared further down the road, walking steadily towards the band of men trade-mark grin plastered across his features. The men parted to let him through subconsciously. Even if they did not recognise it, they knew this person was nothing like them.

The leader feigned bravado, trying to take control back into the situation. ' Another one! What the hell are you wearing?' He asked voice still no completly steady as he took in Hichigos strange white clothing, almost exactly the same as Ichigos save the colour.

Hichigo grinned, amused. '_**Stole em' off some Hollow**__.'_

Hichigos grin became more of a show of teeth and a smile and the men paled, finally realising what they were looking at.

Hichigo still unconcerned leant on Ichigo, using his shouder as an arm-rest. Ichigo smiled lightly as the Hollow chuckled quietly at him and he saw the idea forming in his mind, courtesy of Hichigo ,of course.

'_**Well King'**_He licked his chops and stared hungrily at them like a predator sizing-up its prey, '_**Can I eat them?'**_

Ichigo appeared to be puzzleing over the answer when the men were finally overcome by fear, turned-tail and ran back down the street. Ichigo and Hichigo roared with laughter (Hichigo anyway. Ichigo laughed quietly in appreciation).

'_**Spinless bunch. Scared of little old me**__.'_ Hichigo tried to act innocent for the statement and failed miserably making Ichigo laughed louder.

'Come on' Ichigo suddenly became serious. 'We got to get away from here. Even if they don't like Shinigami they'll go to them now 'cause of your little performance.' Ichigo tried to glare at the hollow but failed and just began laughing again as the hollow looked affronted.

'_**Maybe we should dye your hair, neh**__?' _Hichgo smiled and Ichigo suddenly got a vision of himself with bright green hair, courtesy of the hollow beside him.

'No way! No way am I letting you dye my hair!'

But too late. Hichigo grinned evily as Ichigo turned to run down the street, away from the men, and away from Hichigo.

'_**Maybe luminous pink would suite King better**__?' _Hichigo said quietly so Ichigo couldn't hear.

Ichigo felt shivers lead up his spine. This won't end well.

_78__th__ District_

Stuck in the 78th District Renji wandered around aimlessly, not bothering to patrol rather to stop himself from being attacked by the various gangs than to actually prevent crime. No matter how hard the Shinigami policed the area the gangs always commited crimes under their noses. It was getting embarrassing for the Sereirtei but nothing could be done.

After wandering around the back streets for three hours Renji found himself confronted by oneof the many gangs of the area. Hand landing on Zabimaru's hilt he readied he waited for the leader to come forward.

Through many gasping breaths and story being passed throughout the group Renji finally heard what happened.

'Wandering around...mindin' our own business as usual (Renji muffled a laugh at that, unlikely)...orange hair guy acting suspisous so we went to ask 'im what he was doin'...suddenly white haired hollow appears who looks just like him and tries to eat us...thought you should know as your meant ta get ride of Hollows an' all.'

Renji stared at them. Orange hair and a white haired twin hollow?! Renji, slow as ever, digested this information and suddenly blatant realisation dawned, Ichigo!.

'Where did ya last see him?' Renji asked quickly.

The men gesticulated wildly in one direction leading back along the road. 'Back along there bout five minutes ago.' One answered.

Renji shunpoed along the road hoping Ichigo was still there though it was unlikely, even Ichigo wasn't stupid enough to hang around with a hollow in tow. Why the heck was the Hollow there anyway? Feeling more confused by the minute Renji tried to sense Ichigo's reitsu. Finding nothing he stopped. Byakuya would want to know, even if it was just a hunch.

_6__th__ Division Office_

'Taicho, there has been a possible sighting of Kurosaki Ichigo.'

Renji stood before Byakuya's desk watching his Captain write delicately. Even with this sudden news he didn't pause nor look up.

'I know.' The stoic Captain did not pause his writing but continued, 'There have been other reports of an unknown orange haired shinigami wandering around Rukongai in the 78th District I believe. 11th are now on the look out in the area to see if the sightings are true.'

Renji stared dumbly at his captain who looked up at him for the first time, 'Do you have anything better to do than stare like an idiot at me? Of course I would like to be kept informed of any possible sightings after all' Byakuya paused slightly and almost glared at Renji, who shivered. 'He has some _explaining to do_.'

Renji agreed silently. _Of course_, he thought.

_Rukia._

80th District

Unbeknownst to Serietei a small raven haired girl was wandering about the 80th District feeling thoroughly confused and also on the hunt for a tall man whom seemed strangly familia, especially after he squealed and ran over to two girls and yelled 'DADDY'S LITTLE GIRLS HAVE RETURNED TO HIM! COME INTO HIS EMBRACE OF FATHERLYNESS!'

Oh yes, she thought. She knew this man.

End of Chapter One

_Hiya! I have finally written a sequel to the End is Near, though I have no idea if it's any good!!!It hasn't been proof-read either so there will probably be mistakes so, forgive me!_

_What do you think? Too Slow? Too Boring? Reviews will be REALLY appreciated as this idea has been on my mind for so long now and I don't know whether to continue or not! _

_This will be a Ichi/Ruki fic as it is a continuation of the End is Near.(I wanted it to turn into a Ichi/Hichi but it wouldn't have made sense XD) _

_Please Review and tell me what you think!!!(also if you know any Ichi/Hichi stories I would love it if you can PM about them! I love to read them!!!)_

_Anyway Review! _


	2. Your Pinkness

_I am ashamed of myself...so long ago I wrote ANYTHING! _

_Disclaimer- I don't think I have recently bought Bleach since I first started this, so maybe I don't own it?_

'Speech' Everyone but Hichigo

_Thoughts _-...Thoughts

_**Speech **_Hichigo speaking

79th District

The usual hubbub of morning in the 79th District were cut short when a large scream rented the air.

'Why the HELL is my hair PINK!? Hichigo you BASTARD!'

Ichigo had woken to the glorious new day only to find himself gawking at the river he had slept by to see voluminous pink hair atop his head. What confused him further was that Hichigo had forsaken his usual white hair for a striking red which could be easily mistaken for blood, _Oh yes Hichigo could only go for something which had some reference to violence, but why freaking pink?!_ Ichigo raged silently looking around for the newly red haired menace.

'**Looking for me ,your Pinkness?' **Hichigo dropped suddenly in front of Ichigo from the neighbouring roofs causing Ichigo to jump backwards and fall in reflex. Hichgo laughed heartily as the ever raging Ichigo got up and only stopped when the ever raging fist or Ichigo almost forced itself down his throat.

'Why the hell did you do this?!'

'**Well,'**Hichigo began and continued in a voice one uses when talking to simple minded people,like Renji for example, '**After the fun of yesterday we kinda made a lot of noise and got noticed, so I thought that as our hair colour kinda stands out a bit we should change 'em, so we're less noticeable. An' all that.' **Hichigo himself seemed very proud of his cleverness when Ichigo commented.

'So you chose _freaking _pink and _blood red_ would attract less attention?'

'**Hellooo! Ever heard of the pink and red hair fukutaichos? That arrancar dude with the pink hair? Think 'bout it, there's been loads of freaky people round here with unnatural hair colours but at least they come in pairs! You have noticeable hair as your the only one with freakin' bright, unnatural ORANGE hair. Blimey, you always were a strange-'**

Hichigo didn't continue the sentence as his head had made contact with the ground, Ichigo's foot pushing hard on his head.

'Alright smart arse, no need to carry on. But what can we do now?'

Muffled speech followed this and when Hichigo started waving his arms frantically Ichigo let him up.

'**AIR!...Oh and that crazy dude with the pink haired midget monster is coming.'**

'WHAT?!'

80th District

After being glomped by Isshin, Rukia was led into a ramshackle house by said idiot and was glomped again by a happily sobbing Yuzu.

'DADDY HAS HIS DAUGHTERS BACK! KARIN, COME JOIN IN THE LOVE!'

Rukia pulled away quickly and watched as Karin attacked her father, calling him an embarrassment to all human (living and dead) kind.

Yuzu came over and looked strangely sombre for her young face into Rukias face.

'You're not a shinigami anymore. What happened, Rukia(1)?'

Isshin and Karin stopped fighting and came over to hear Rukia's answer. Rukia seemed to shrink in front of them and her eyes became dull.

She began to speak without any emotion, 'Ichigo and I had been out on patrol when we were separated when two hollows attacked. Both were arrancar and Ichigo being Ichigo tried to take on both at once. He was then thrown into a building and chased by one which left the other to me. We fought and I came in for the final attack when it charged a cero and hit my almost point-blank. I managed to pierce it in the chest with Sode no Shirayuki which I think effectively killed it, i'm still not sure but as it fell it embedded its zanpakuto into my chest cutting my soul chain I think.' She was staring at the ground with such intensity the trio thought she could burn a hole into it. 'I can't remember anything past that apart from an extremely strong reitsu and then I woke up here on the street.'

The other three stood silently each contemplating Rukias tale when Yuzu quietly voiced a question they were all apprehensive to know.

'What happened to Ichigo?'

When Rukia looked up they could see tears in her eyes, she trembled slightly, 'I don't know.'

They left it at that for now, each not wanting to really find out.

Elsewhere in Rukongai

A black haired girl was walking down the street glaring at anyone who past her. She was positively _radiating _with barley suppressed anger. Behind her walked a nervous looking orange haired girl.

'Neh, Tatsuki, you needn't be so angry with him-'

Said Tatsuki spun round and yelled loudly 'Not be angry?! Not be angry when its him who got you in this mess in the first place?! Not be angry when he swore to protect you back then?! Not be angry that he let you die Orihime?!'

'He didn't Tatsuki, he tried. I know he did but he was alone, and there were so many.' She almost whispered the last part caught up in the memory of her final moments.

_((She and Ichigo were surrounded by countless Hollows of every class from normal hollows to menos and arrancar. They were alone, they had gone ahead being separated by everyone else in Huenco Mundo. _

_Orihime was grabbed suddenly from behind and dragged away from Ichigo. She screamed and Ichigo turned and for the first time in a very long time she saw fear and helplessness in his gaze. He began fighting his way towards her, calling forth his mask and she was slightly comforted by his huge reitsu as he madly mad his way towards her. _

_She knew however it was too late. She was being dragged further and further away and Ichigo was slowly being overwhelmed._

_Sudden intense pain bloomed over her body and she heard Ichigo yell hoarsely._

'_ORHIME!'_

_She looked at him once more and smiled slightly, in hopes of getting rid of that terrible sadness on his face, she thought._

'_Goodbye Kurosaki-kun.'_

_Then all she saw was darkness.))_

'He tried Tatsuki.' She said pleadingly, 'He really tried, he was overwhelmed and I should have been stronger.' She stopped and hugged herself slightly.

Tatsuki's anger faded slightly and she hugged Orihime lightly, 'I'm sorry, and you are strong Orihime, you did so much during the war and helped so many.'

'But I couldn't help Kurosaki-kun. I hurt him Tatsuki. I hurt him because I couldn't look out for myself.'

'Well I'm still going to give him a piece of my mind if I can find him. He must go to Seireitei and some point and they should let us in, as we did help.'

And so the two continued onto the gates of Sereitei not knowing they were only a district away from the one they were looking for.

_Back in 79__th__ District_

'WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY YOU FELT HIM COMING?!'

'_**YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO SENSE HIM YOURSELF YOU IDIOT!'**_

The pair was sprinting madly as the crazy captain and his pink protégé in madness chased after them, grinning madly.

_Wait till Serietei hears about this._

*Cries*I am REALLY not happy with this chapter.

I haven't updated for ages because of random stuff which has been going on so I apologise!

Any ideas are welcome with open arms for what I should write next as I am at a loss! This chapter was hard enough.

The fight and flashback are rubbish, I again apologise I am not good at either and I needed both to get a little further with this.

Anyway ideas for next chapter if you have any and I will try to update faster although my exams are coming up soon but I will try!


	3. Reunion

The End is too near chapter 3

...lol I re-read chapter 2 and it needs editing...and I suck at updating regulary but I don't think it will ever change so I apologise! I write when the feeling takes me as it were and I've been having ideas for other fanfics so I've been playing with them as well (oneshots so no need to wait for updates! :P)

I'm not sure whether to give up on naming each POV change with the district numbers, they're getting annoying and I know i'm going to mess them up at some point. If I haven't already.

Zaraki chased after Ichigo and Hichigo with reckless abandon, (doesn't he sound carefree?) laughing insanely and ignoring the looks of shock and fear from the poor souls of Rukongai how were being crushed by his expansive reitsu.

With one quick shunpo he struck out wildly with his zanpaktou and blew a crater so large the two he was chasing lost their ground(literally) and fell. Another shunpo and he stood above them, grinning wolfishly but made no move to attack further which perplexed Ichigo and Hichigo no end.

'Aren't you meant to be trying to kill us right now?' Ichigo asked bluntly.

'Orders from leader of the search party not to maim you...too badly.' Zaraki seemed pleased with himself as he drew closer to the pair. Suddenly a pink haired girl popped up at Zaraki's shoulder and began squeeling at the sight of Ichigo and Hichigo

'Orange-chan! Wait, no, Pink-chan! And Blood-chan! We need to take you back to Bya-chan now!'

Ichigo's eyes widened. _Byakuya? Oh Shit!_

He turned to Hichigo, 'We need to get out of here. Facing Byakuya now would not be a good idea, especially without Zangetsu.'

Hichigo nodded and suddenly pointed his index and middle finger at Zaraki and charged a huge cero, when it fired he turned, grabbed Ichigo and _sonido'd_ away.

'Wait. WAIT! You've been able to do that the entire time? Why didn't you do that first?! And wouldn't that kill even Zaraki at that range?'

Hichigo snorted, 'Wasn't enough power behind it to do any lasting damage and I couldn't do it because we were running away!'

'That doesn't make any sense but whatever where shall we go- '

Hichigo stopped suddenly and was about to ask why Ichigo had suddenly cut off when he spotted what Ichigo was doing.

Ichigo was staring a little further along the road as; standing totally rigid at the end of the road was-

'Rukia'

_About 5 minutes before_

Rukia had gone out for a while as she found staying in close promiximity with Isshin was difficult for time periods longer than 5 minutes. She had no idea how she had managed it so long with-

_No,_ she thought,_ Don't think about him now. _

She had no idea what had happened to Ichigo after she had faced that arrancar and Isshin, Yuzu and Karin had died long before she had.

_He could still be out there, _she wondered,_ fighting alone._

She shook her head quickly. She didn't need to think these thoughts right now, right now she needed to find something to eat-

A huge explosion caught her unawares and sent her colliding into a nearby wall. Manic laughter soon followed the explosion which could only mean that one person had caused that explosion (also helped along by the high-pitched laughter of a certain pink-haired lieutenant).

Without thinking Rukia cast out her senses and automatically sensed the unmistakable reitsu of the 11th Captain. She began following the reitsu through all the streets of Rukongai when it came to a sudden halt. Casting out her senses she felt two more reitsu which both felt very familiar to her...

_No. _

She sprinted wildly down the street wishing she could use shunpo again. _It couldn't be him, could it?_

At last she turned a corner and set her eyes on the one person she had thought about constantly since she had come to Rukongai.

'Ichigo'

6th Division Office

'Oi Byakuya, I found him.'

Byakuya looked up from his paperwork, 'Where is he then?'

Zaraki grinned and it became apparent to Byakuya for the first time that there was a slight burn covering part of the 11th Taichou's face.

'He has someone with him capable of firing cero. They got away but we know where to find them now.'

Byakuya looked down and continued signing paperwork, 'Good. Thank you Zaraki-taichou. Now we must send out a search for Rukia. I have had reports from the 2nd Division that she has also been spotted in Rukongai. She needs to be found and bought in soon.'

Ichigo stared at Rukia, all thoughts of running from Zaraki left his mind, _she got here!, she lived?_

'Rukia...I...' Ichigo couldn't find the words he wanted to say to her, she _died_ and now she was standing in front of him looking as if none of it happened.

They continued to stare when the unmistakable war cry of a deranged father fell over them.

'RUKIAAA! DADDY IS LOOKING FOR YOUU! DINNER IS READY! RUKI-'

Isshin Kurosaki came onto the scene and fell silent he stared from Rukia to his son, to Hichigo and to the destruction they bought with them in the form of the 11th Captain.

'Well we are going to need more chairs I think.' He then turned and walked away leaving them staring at his, for once, serious back.

Ichigo stared, shock himself and ran towards his father as he was about to pass Rukia he stopped, looked at her, and smiled a rare smile and then hugged her with a ferocity which frightened her.

'I'm sorry' Ichigo muttered into her hair, 'I'm so sorry.'

For his sake and her own, they both ignored the tears that fell on each other.

End of Chapter 3

Uwah! 6 months it's been I think! :O Gomen nasai! Life has been weird and finding any sort of inspiration has been a chore!

Anyway, I hope this update is satisfactory I tried to push the story on a little but I am annoyed about the short chapter (it feels short anyway)

Any ideas are always welcome and criticism as well!

Also does anyone know how I can have anonymous comments allowed?


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